Pep Guardiola says Manchester City will “find a way” to win again as he looks to end their recent slump against Everton at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
The reigning champions have won just one of their last 12 games in all competitions and are currently 12 points behind leaders Liverpool heading into the festive period.
Since November, City have scored just four points in the league, the fewest of any team in the top flight.
Guardiola has already ruled his side out of the title race this season but is determined to halt their recent decline after slipping to seventh in the table.
“I'm learning. They're learning. We're thinking about Everton and not much longer than that,” he said. “You lose another match and you have to think about what you have to do next, to win.
“This team was consistent for so long and we broke all the records. Now we are on the other side. That's the truth. We have to find a way.
“We are in that position, sometimes everything is more difficult, but the players have to say: 'Okay guys, we will try'. I don't know what the outcome will be, but life gives you that challenge, and you have to go deal with it as much as possible.”
Boxing Day at home #MCIEVE | #AsahiSuperDry pic.twitter.com/PDdi0E9ip9
— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 22, 2024
Meanwhile, Everton are currently unbeaten in three games and have kept a clean sheet in all of those games, while opening a four-point gap to the relegation zone.
After holding high-flying Arsenal and Chelsea to 0-0 draws in their last two matches, James Tarkowski was full of praise for their defensive play.
'I feel like I'm under it [Sean Dyche]that's how we've been [defensively strong] for a lot of the time,” he said.
“You always have to deal with patches when you lose games and people will question us, but we always have confidence in what we do.
“We are a team going in the right direction. We look strong and teams struggle to break us down. Then we have a top class goalkeeper and when we need him he makes saves for us.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Manchester City – Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland has scored in all three of his Premier League appearances against Everton (four goals) and scored a goal in this exact match last season.
However, the Norwegian has failed to score in any of his last three league games at the Etihad and has never gone four consecutive games without a goal on home soil.
Everton – Jordan Pickford
Only the current top four teams of Liverpool (16), Arsenal (16), Chelsea (19) and Nottingham Forest (19) have conceded fewer Premier League goals than Everton (21) this season, with Jordan Pickford scoring more clean sheets than anyone. different goalkeeper this season (seven).
Jordan Pickford has kept more @premierleague clean sheets (7) than any other goalkeeper this season. pic.twitter.com/9AseHdNg6S
— Everton (@Everton) December 22, 2024
MATCH PREDICTION: MANCHESTER CITY WIN
After losing four consecutive home games against Everton between February 2008 and December 2010, Man City are now unbeaten in their last thirteen games against the Toffees at the Etihad (W8 D5).
And City have won six of their last seven Premier League games on Boxing Day, with the exception of a 2-1 defeat to Leicester City in December 2018. Since returning to the top flight in 2002, the Citizens have won all seven games. their home games on Boxing Day by an aggregate score of 24-7.
However, City have lost nine of their last 12 games in all competitions (W1 D2), as many as in the previous 112. Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola has only suffered in 2016/17 (10) and 2019/20 (12). more defeats in one campaign as manager.
Despite that dismal run, Everton are still only given a slim chance to triumph on Thursday, having won just one of their last 22 Premier League meetings with City (D5 L16) and losing 12 of the last 13 (D1).
Although the Toffees have not lost any of their last eight away games on Boxing Day (W5 D3) since a 4-0 defeat to Aston Villa in 2005. Everton also won the last time they faced the reigning champions on this day, beating Leicester with 2 to beat. -0 in 2016.
OPTA CHANCE OF WINNING
Manchester City – 73.7%
Draw – 15.3%
Everton – 11%
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